Drug Mules: From Children's Toys to Ships to Puppies

Drug Mules

$58 million worth of cocaine was seized from this Panamanian ship in international waters, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced Oct. 2. Officials said the 10 crew members of the Megan Star - citizens of Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Nicaragua, and Spain - are now in federal custody. They will be transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico to await prosecution.

DEA

Drug Mules

$58 million worth of cocaine was seized from this Panamanian ship in international waters, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced Oct. 2. Officials said the 10 crew members of the Megan Star - citizens of Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Nicaragua, and Spain - are now in federal custody. They will be transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico to await prosecution.

DEA

Drug Mules

DEA and ICE agents guard some of the 1,930 kilograms that was seized in the raid. After the ship was captured in international waters, it was escorted to a Coast Guard base in San Juan, where the drugs were discovered.

DEA

Cocaine-Filled Toys

Colorful children's toys, like the one pictured here, were used to smuggle large amounts of cocaine in to New York from Puerto Rico, says the Drug Enforcement Administration. Federal agents arrested nine people in The Bronx, New York Sept. 24, 2008 and charged them with concealing drugs inside children's toys and puzzle boxes.

ABC

Cocaine-Filled Toys

The charges were the result of a five-month investigation that traced the cocaine shipments from Puerto Rico to East Coast buyers. According to the DEA, 8.8 pounds of cocaine, four handguns and $86,400 in cash were recovered in the joint DEA - US Postal Inspectors drug smuggling and money laundering operation. Investigators say the drug scheme was carried out by using the United States Postal Service Express Mail to drop off the cocaine-filled toys at locations in Manhattan and The Bronx.

ABC

Puppies Used by Drug Traffickers to Smuggle Heroin

There have been other drug mule cases over the years. Puppies from Colombia were surgically implanted with packets of heroin, according to the DEA. The agency arrested 22 Colombian nationals in Feb. 2006 for smuggling over 20 kilograms of heroin into the U.S., both by human ingestion and with the puppies.

DEA

Puppies Used by Drug Traffickers to Smuggle Heroin

In one case, the DEA said, six puppies were impregnated with three kilograms of liquid heroin. The pups were rescued and adopted by Colombian families.

DEA

Drug Smugglers Burrow in Record Numbers

Nineteen tunnels were discovered beneath the United States' southwest border in 2007, surpassing the previous record of 17 set in 2006, federal authorities said. The majority of the tunnels, including this one, appear to have been built to smuggle drugs, notably large shipments of marijuana, according to officials.

DEA

Submersibles: Drug Cartel's Secret Weapon

Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Rayo-Montano used a "vast array of vessels" to smuggle tons of cocaine to the United States and Europe, according to the DEA. Rayo-Montano and over 100 others were arrested in 2006. The charges included money laundering and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The DEA said that over the course of its three-year investigation, it seized 52 tons of cocaine and nearly $70 million in assets. Rayo-Montano is now in custody in Brazil awaiting extradition to the U.S.

DEA

One Pricey Ride: Pot-Filled RV

Twice a month this expensive RV drove from Texas to Arizona, then left Arizona and headed for central Ohio, allegedly hauling 2,000 pounds of marijuana each time, according to the DEA. "Dallas detectives had their eye on the 40 to 50 foot luxury RV -- we figure it's worth about $500,000" says Tony Marotta, assistant special agent in charge of the DEA's Columbus, Ohio office.

ABC

Hallucinogens Baked In

Rockdale County Sheriff's Sergeant Matt Wolfe of Georgia told ABC News that hallucinogenic mushrooms were broken up into slivers and baked into this candy. Officials said they found 74 chocolate ducks and bunnies containing the mushrooms in the trunk of the suspect's car.